I think this "uncut version" obsession

[WeirdRaptor]

I firmly believe that this obsession with the original version is making this fandom lose sight of the very film we loved to begin with. I see discussions about the film we have now become rarer while meaingless speculation about the mythical uncut version comes up over and over and then goes nowhere time and again.

Here are some facts:

1. It doesn't exist anymore. It was locked up tight and the version we all own on home video is the only one that was ever out in general release. I will not hear otherwise unless you have proof.
2. There is no record of an "uncut" version being released anymore. It doesn't even make sense for them to it that, considering that the producers of the project made the staff cut it down and release the version we're familiar with. Hell, Bluth even said that the cut footage is in Spielberg's possession, and he's sure never made any attempts to restore the film.
4. We are not going to find it. Stop looking.
5. The film we have now is fine as is. It is a great, great film and I am satisfied with it. I'm sorry that so many of you don't feel the same.

[Ducky123]

1. It doesn't exist anymore. It was locked up tight and the version we all own on home video is the only one that was ever out in general release. I will not hear otherwise unless you have proof.

You claim there's no proof for the existance of the uncut version of the original LBT movie?! Well, likewise there's no proof that it doesn't exist...

2. There is no record of an "uncut" version being released anymore. It doesn't even make sense for them to it that, considering that the producers of the project made the staff cut it down and release the version we're familiar with. Hell, Bluth even said that the cut footage is in Spielberg's possession, and he's sure never made any attempts to restore the film.

Why wouldn't it make sense for them to release it, provided it's still there in their archives? Many, many children who are in their 20's and 30's now have loved TLBT and many still do so. Wouldn't it motivate them to buy the movie again if it had some "special features" (cut scenes) on it? And just consider that many of them are already parents who would love to show their children a wonderful movie from their childhood... I think it would pay off for the producers, if they advertise such a rerelease wisely...

4. We are not going to find it. Stop looking.

You never know if you would have made it, hadn't you given up. This quote just puts it nicely: If there existed a movie with the cut scenes on it and if we weren't looking for it, then how would we know if it exists or not. Why so hopeless, WR?

5. The film we have now is fine as is. It is a great, great film and I am satisfied with it. I'm sorry that so many of you don't feel the same.

In case this is aimed at me (which I think is not the case but still..), I do love the movie the way it is. I'm just curious what these scenes really contained.

[Malte279]

As for the factual topic of this thread:
1. I think it is not very likely for an uncut version to be made available to us. In more than 15 years of research and hope inducing reports of uncut versions watched in the past my hope to actually see such a version are fairly low... but there was no thought of an LBT 14 either anymore until quite recently and I would be delighted in being disproven.
2. Many fans from various countries have told about seeing such an uncut version. Similar cases of scenes included in movie adaptions of some countries but not in all of them are not unheard of. I consider the probability higher that such different cuts of the movie have actually been aired rather than assuming or accusing of collective memory failure or deliberate misinformation.

As for the less factual and more emotional points in this thread I must say that it is with great regret that based on the choice of words and formulations they seem to be more of the basis for this thread rather than the wish for a factual discussion. I would prefer if the matter had been allowed to be dropped (strong hint her to anyone considering further anger filled responses here).
Even in case it should turn out to be in vain there is no harm in the "holy grail status" of the cut scenes in the mind of many land before time fans. And though no actual video of it has ever been found the search for it has not been in vain altogether. Plenty of immages and seen descriptions which have definitely or probably been part of the cut scenes have been found as a result from this interest of the fans.
Neither you nor anyone else has the right to order people what to do or what not to with their free time while they are not harming others in the process!
The fact that people are right here on the board shows clearly that they do like the movie. Curiosity about what it would have been like with the additional scenes does not equal dislike for the movie as it is. If people do not like the movie as it is that is just as much their right as it is yours to dislike (for example) a certain series of movies based on one book by an author whose works you and I both enjoy.

Make no mistake everybody, we admins are watching this thread and the attitudes of members towards each other. The warning has been given, but if anyone feels the need to further push or violate rules against personal attacks (and I am not refering to one member only here), of freedom of opinion or about presenting opinions as facts we admins are going to put an end to it!

[WeirdRaptor]

Bluth has stated on no uncertain terms that Spielberg has the only copy of the missing footage and that he's not releasing it. It doesn't get more final than that. Why so hopeless, because I'm tired of this baseless rumor.

2. Many fans from various countries have told about seeing such an uncut version. Similar cases of scenes included in movie adaptions of some countries but not in all of them are not unheard of. I consider the probability higher that such different cuts of the movie have actually been aired rather than assuming or accusing of collective memory failure or deliberate misinformation.

People claimed that you can unlock Luigi in Super Mario 64 for years, worldwide. Guess what? You can't. I rest my case.

[Nick22]

i think it is better for everyone if we take a step back and consider what we are arguing over, footage, that is likely never to be released.

[WeirdRaptor]

I know, Nick, I know. I just feel like this search is starting to crowd out the film, itself.

[MC CJ'S REVENGE]

I've seen countless subjects about this brought up and I agree, this is an issue that is basically beating a dead horse. Don Bluth stated the footage is not available, so that's that.

[Pikkutassu]

Bluth has stated on no uncertain terms that Spielberg has the only copy of the missing footage and that he's not releasing it. It doesn't get more final than that. Why so hopeless, because I'm tired of this baseless rumor.

2. Many fans from various countries have told about seeing such an uncut version. Similar cases of scenes included in movie adaptions of some countries but not in all of them are not unheard of. I consider the probability higher that such different cuts of the movie have actually been aired rather than assuming or accusing of collective memory failure or deliberate misinformation.

People claimed that you can unlock Luigi in Super Mario 64 for years, worldwide. Guess what? You can't. I rest my case.

Definitely not baseless memories for me after finding the deleted scene cel from the final sharptooth battle scene, which I remembered beforehand (rather than refreshing my memory after seeing some of the images the outcut scenes thread.)

[jansenov]

All of us who have memories of these various elusive scenes, let us consider this for a moment: none of us here have pristine memories. Our memories have been contaminated by the information on the missing scenes that can be found on this forum and elsewhere.

And let us consider the facts that go against the existence of the uncut German version and the uncut Finnish version: if you care to look up the duration of the movie in old magazines and newspapers (for example, Prisma TV from 2002 or Helsingin Sanomat from 1995), it is in the ballpark of 60-66 minutes. Far too little to accomodate any of the missing material. In addition, there are forums where people said that they have recordings of the 1995 Finnish airing and that there is nothing unusual about them. All of this information and much more can be found on this very forum.

There is just one ray of hope left: that the data we have from before the digitalization of television is not completely reliable. Back in the 1990s and the early 2000s, the vast majority of television channels used analog technology, and this was most certainly true for the channels where the uncut version (superRTL and mtv3) was supposedly shown.

A few weeks ago LBT was aired on mtv3 and Pikkutassu complained that this was the digital version being shown now, not the analog version that was on recorded on tape and that was shown before mtv3 underwent digitalization. And  I agree with him. It makes perfect sense that the analog version is no longer shown. Technology has changed. Also, I made the same complaint about a SuperRTL airing more than 3 years ago.

This, however, doesn't mean that these analog versions contained the uncut movie. And even if these tapes contained the uncut version, they are possibly gone by now, irretrievably damaged on some garbage heap.

All in all, the evidence for the uncut version is thin. We should try to overcome our emotions and assume that the mind is playing tricks on us.

The only thing remaining is to hunt down these old tapes from these TV channels. But how to get to them?

[LostInTime]

I have to join the people who think they have seen the uncut version, sadly I was of course very young at that time. But I specifically remember the T-rex vs mother attack being more violent, and that it affected me alot, really feeling for littlefoot. From what I can remember the tape was a copied (using two vhs connected) from an unknown family friend. I have looked through all our vhs, but it isn't there so it was likely that one tape I lent to a friend long, long time ago.. and didn't get back. (pretty sure it was land before time I lent to my friends, cus it was so awesome,)

I do have the bought vhs in my possession, but it's likely not the one. From what I remember I begged my parents to buy the series afterwards because of the memory I had of it, being super awesome. Not so after the cuts ;P.. I mean it probably wasnt the most famous animated movie, so why would I have them buy that one? Cus I remembered that first awesome movie, after I had gotten the sequels.


TLDDR
So my guess is that I(my father) was lucky enough to be given a copy of an recording,
probably aired in Sweden early to mid 90's, with subtitles but I of course lost it.
The only proof of mind I have is that I remember it being very scary and that I was really young at the time. It was a some time before I saw Jurassic Park (bought tape), another great first experience.

Sad thing is that, any hope of recovering it is diminishing by the year, since people throw the recordings away! Oh well, at least I got some frustration out of me. But I stand by that it was the best animation movie experience I've ever had. Thanks for that

[Bruton the Iguanodon]

if you care to look up the duration of the movie in old magazines and newspapers

Old magazines and newspapers survived but the VHS tapes didn't?  

[Malte279]

Everyone, stick to opinions marked as opinions or facts if supported by solid evidence, but stay away from each others throats and abstain from persoanl attacks of any sort!

[jansenov]

Magazines are mass products just like VHS tapes for home videos, so yes, both of them survived. But, every VHS tape GOF members checked out to date has the same duration of the movie as indicated by the magazines (the difference being whether the credits are cutout or not). However, the tapes that the TV studios used in the airings might be trickier merchandise to get a hold on. And they won't necessarily have the scenes we are after (see my previous post).

So, what is exactly your problem, Bruton?

[Dashaque]

I've seen countless subjects about this brought up and I agree, this is an issue that is basically beating a dead horse. Don Bluth stated the footage is not available, so that's that.

That would have been nice to know before I made an intro topic about it.... I wasn't trying to stir up trouble, I should have looked to see if it was okay to talk about it but I didn't see anything in the rules.


I basically just said that I own a first wave release of this movie and it's identical to the ones that you see now.  Granted, yes, it's been a long time since I watched my VHS, maybe 10 years?) but I remember it very well.  I still have the movie memorized.  However, many say that the early McDonalds version has uncut footage (though I'm almost certain I own this one, but it's in storage now so I can't check atm, but I'll try to get a hold of it in the next few days)


But if someone REALLYwants to put that speculation to rest:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Land-Before-Ti...g-/390763842899

I'd be willing to chip in for this but I'm not going to buy it myself as i don't even own a VHS player anymore.

You claim there's no proof for the existance of the uncut version of the original LBT movie?! Well, likewise there's no proof that it doesn't exist...

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.  Also if you are making a claim (in this case, that there's an uncut version of LBT) the burden is on you to prove that it does exist, not on anyone else to disprove it.  


For what it's worth though, I remember watching the VHS a lot as a kid, and then sometime later in my young adult years, getting into LBT again and rewatching the VHS I had numerous times.   I had this memory in my mind, that I STILL have of when they escaped the Sharptooth by running through that narrow rock (this was right before they saw the rock shaped like a Longneck)... and I totally remember Cera glaring back at it then going "NYA NYA!" as the Sharptooh was struggling to get through (I know she did this earlier when she thought it was dead too, but this one was different)...

Now that scene isn't in the movie, and when I watched it in my adult years, I was surprised because I could have sworn I saw that happen.   I think sometimes we remember things we saw as a kid and our memories don't work so well.  So even though you might swear up and down that you saw a more violent version of the Sharptooth attack, you might just be remembering it wrong.  There's nothing wrong with that, my memory fooled me as well.  

So that could be what's going on... again there's nothing wrong with that, I'm not insulting anyone for it, but it makes more sense than these elusive copies evading the internet for decades.

[Dalekdino]

  I had this memory in my mind, that I STILL have of when they escaped the Sharptooth by running through that narrow rock (this was right before they saw the rock shaped like a Longneck)... and I totally remember Cera glaring back at it then going "NYA NYA!" as the Sharptooh was struggling to get through (I know she did this earlier when she thought it was dead too, but this one was different)...

You know the LBT story book I have "Friends in need" has a screen shot of that scene you were talking about of Cera glaring at Sharptooth after the escape him.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/834/ou6l.jpg

[Dashaque]

No, that happens in the movie, my memory is of her going "NYA NYA" and wiggling her butt or something

[Bruton the Iguanodon]

Magazines are mass products just like VHS tapes for home videos, so yes, both of them survived. But, every VHS tape GOF members checked out to date has the same duration of the movie as indicated by the magazines (the difference being whether the credits are cutout or not). However, the tapes that the TV studios used in the airings might be trickier merchandise to get a hold on. And they won't necessarily have the scenes we are after (see my previous post).

So, what is exactly your problem, Bruton?

Sorry...  

[jansenov]

^It's all right.   I worded that more aggressively than I should have.

[Bruton the Iguanodon]

And I was too nitpicky and bothersome.

But glad to hear it's cool now.  

[pokeplayer984]

So, I now have the McDonald's version VHS tape in my procession, and after looking over just the cover itself, I have my doubts.

The biggest thing being the run time still showing 69 minutes, but that could be a misprint. (Lots of VHS tapes were victims of that.) We shall see if it holds that rumored 10 minutes of missing footage.

I will note though that it does have a "rebate offer" for the then upcoming The Land Before Time 2, which had an unofficial release cover. (I'll show a picture later.)

Well, see ya guys later.  I've got a movie to watch.

EDIT: Just got done watching it.  Sadly, there is nothing extra.  The only difference on this version is that the coloring seems easier on the eyes than the DVD version does. (Then again, that could be my TV.)

Aside from that, the only other thing to note is that this version doesn't have a single ad in it before the movie.  NOT ONE!  I find that rather interesting.

So, the McDonald's version does not have any extra scenes.  I have debunked the myth. -_-